Surry County-Newport News City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Baird, Marion S. Jr., 2009 

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MARION SIMS BAIRD, JR. 

  NEWPORT NEWS - Marion Sims Baird, Jr., 88, son of the late Marion Sims Baird 
and Nannie Baugh Baird of Claremont, Va., died Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009 at The 
Chesapeake, a retirement community in Newport News, after a nine-year struggle 
with Parkinsons.

  Mr. Baird was born Jan. 27, 1921, in Surry County and graduated from 
Claremont High School in 1938 and Hampton Roads Business College in 1944.

  A lifelong dedicated Methodist, he was an active member of First United 
Methodist Church in Newport News since 1975, teaching the Ladies Bible Class 
for 20 years, was an usher, and served as President of the United Methodist 
Men.  He had served in many capacities in his home church, Claremont United 
Methodist Church, where he had been a church Lay Leader Sunday School teacher 
and Superintendent, Official Board Chairman, and a Lay Speaker.  He later 
became active in Trinity United Methodist Church in Alexandria and was 
President of the United Methodist Men.  In 1995, he was awarded a Life 
Membership in the United Methodist Men, and in 2006, he received the United 
Methodist Men’s James Award from the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United 
Methodist Church.  He had earlier published a history of the Virginia 
Conference United Methodist Men, said to the first Conference-level United 
Methodist Men history.  He served on the Peninsula District Board of Laity 
and Council on Ministries, the Virginia Conference Historical Society and was 
Conference United Methodist Men Historian.

  Mr. Baird was employed in the Time Study Dept. of Newport News Shipbuilding 
and DryDock Co., from 1938 - 1944.  He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps 
(Hospital Train Unit) from 1944 - 1946, rising rapidly to Master Sergeant 
(Sgt. Major).  Upon leaving the service, entered Government Civil Service, 
serving in Richmond, Washington, Philadelphia, Ft. Belvoir and Ft. Monroe, 
where he retired in 1976.  He then became Customer Service Manager at Leggett 
in Newmarket North Mall for 13 years, retiring in 1989.  He had received many 
awards from the Army and Leggett.

  An avid researcher since retirement, he prepared several family histories, 
and in 2002 published a large book about his hometown, entitled "CLAREMONT: 
On the James," following 10 years of research.

  Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Mable Cox Baird; his brother Horace 
H. Baird and his wife, Pat of Colonial Heights; sister-in-law, Marjorie A. 
Baird of Surry; two nieces, Alice Baird Curtis and her husband, Barry of 
Colonial Heights; June Baird Edwards and her husband, Jerry of Midlothian; a 
great-niece, Kimberly Curtis of Charlottesville; and two great-nephews, Wesley 
Edwards of Richmond and Jeffery Edwards of Blacksburg.

  He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, James Wesley Baird; and 
sisters, Mary Florence Baird and Dorothy Baird.

  The family will received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight, Sept. 28, at 
Peninsula Funeral Home.  Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, 
Sept. 29, at First United Methodist Church, 10246 Warwick Blvd., with the Rev. 
John T. LeGault, Jr. officiating.  Burial will follow in Peninsula Memorial 
Park.  A reception will be held at the church following interment.

  Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Building Fund of First United 
Methodist Church or to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, Office of 
Development, 1501 NW 9th Ave., Bob Hope Rd., Miami, Fl. 33136-1494.

  Peninsula Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.


Marion Sims BAIRD, Jr., retired civil servant, author & historian, 
Army Medical Corps veteran of WW-II, 
b. 27 Jan 1921, Surry Co., d. 27 Sep 2009, Newport News, 
interred in Peninsula Memorial Park*, Newport News, 29 Sep 2009, 
"Daily Press" (Newport News, VA), Sep. 28, 2009 

Additional information: 

*Text of obit also posted with Find a Grave Mem. #42472015. 

His parents are buried in Claremont Cemetery. 

He attended Stonewall Jackson School in Dendron.


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), 
and re-formatted by File Manager. 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/surry/obits/b630m14o.txt